More than being a surprise, Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2018 Football World Cup can be described as the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Even the most sanguine Italian soccer fan was aware that the Italian national team had long lost its competitive edge and sooner or later was destined to bite the dust.

In recent years, European football seemed to realize the big potential of Australia in terms of future growth and revenue. In 2012 the choice of an icon such as Alessandro Del Piero to join the A-League with Sydney FC reached a milestone for Australian soccer, which has started to be followed beyond the national borders, too.